WalletPop Blog http://www.walletpop.com/blog WalletPop Blog http://www.walletpop.com/blog/media/feedlogo.gif WalletPop Blog http://www.walletpop.com/blog en-us Copyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Economy better, but return of conspicuous consumption is not good newshttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/15/economy-better-but-return-of-conspicuous-consumption-is-not-goo/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/15/economy-better-but-return-of-conspicuous-consumption-is-not-goo/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/15/economy-better-but-return-of-conspicuous-consumption-is-not-goo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Marc AcitoAm I the only American who's disappointed the economy's getting better?

I know it doesn't make sense -- I myself have been so underemployed these last two years it makes me nostalgic for the soul-sucking sales job I hated so much I wanted to chew off my arm to get out. (It turns out all those relatives who lived through the Depression were right -- that was a good, steady job.) So you'd think I'd be sending love notes to Timothy Geithner at the news of unemployment holding steady at 9.7% while retail sales increase.

Continue reading Economy better, but return of conspicuous consumption is not good news

Economy better, but return of conspicuous consumption is not good news originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>giacomettikansas cityKansasCitytimothy geithnerTimothyGeithnerMarc AcitoMon, 15 Mar 2010 17:00:00 ESTChances are, it's time to get ready for the next big quakehttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/09/chances-are-its-time-to-get-ready-for-the-next-big-quake/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/09/chances-are-its-time-to-get-ready-for-the-next-big-quake/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/09/chances-are-its-time-to-get-ready-for-the-next-big-quake/#commentsFiled under:

First Haiti, then Chile. Now Turkey. It's enough to make you wonder whether professional crackpot Pat Robertson is right, that God is shaking up our world like a snow globe.

Good news -- we're not actually getting more earthquakes. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, in the last 100 years, the earth has averaged about 17 major quakes (7.0 - 7.9) and one huge one (8.0 or above) a year.

I hesitate to write this for fear of jinxing the planet, but with Chile's quake registering 8.8, it's unlikely we'll get another this year. (If you're reading this, Pat, don't blame me if there's another. Even though I'm gay. And liberal.)

Continue reading Chances are, it's time to get ready for the next big quake

Chances are, it's time to get ready for the next big quake originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>chile earthquakeChileEarthquakehaiti earthquakeHaitiEarthquakePat RobertsonPatRobertsonRoger BilhamRogerBilhamturkey earthquakeTurkeyEarthquakeMarc AcitoTue, 09 Mar 2010 12:30:00 ESTToyota, Tiger and torture -- no apology necessary?http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/02/toyota-tiger-and-torture-no-apology-necessary/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/02/toyota-tiger-and-torture-no-apology-necessary/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/02/toyota-tiger-and-torture-no-apology-necessary/#commentsFiled under:

I apologize. I don't know what I'm apologizing for, but between the CEO of Toyota and Tiger Woods, it just seems like the thing to do these days. Of course, nobody asked Akio Toyoda the important questions, such as:

1) If your "name is on every car," then why aren't they called "Toyodas?"

2) Did you come here on a private jet ? If so, can you give me a lift back to my constituency?

3) For a company with acceleration problems, what took you so long?






Continue reading Toyota, Tiger and torture -- no apology necessary?

Toyota, Tiger and torture -- no apology necessary? originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>akio toyodaAkioToyodajohn yooJohnYoomarc acitoMarcAcitotiger woodsTigerWoodsMarc AcitoTue, 02 Mar 2010 16:30:00 ESTAustrian millionaire gives away fortune - and sanityhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/23/austrian-millionaire-gives-away-fortune-and-sanity/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/23/austrian-millionaire-gives-away-fortune-and-sanity/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/23/austrian-millionaire-gives-away-fortune-and-sanity/#commentsFiled under: ,

"It was the biggest shock in my life," said Austrian millionaire Karl Habeder, "when I realized how horrible, soulless and without feeling the five-star lifestyle is."

So he's giving away all his money. Every penny, trading in his two luxury homes for a mountain hut and a bedsit in the city. "My idea is to have nothing left. Absolutely nothing," he said. "Money is counterproductive - it prevents happiness to come."

Responses on blogs have been universally positive: "True wealth is good health. Money can't buy you happiness. etc." Which is true. Numerous studies on happiness indicate that factors like health, marriage and how we're doing in relation to our peers determine our happiness.

Continue reading Austrian millionaire gives away fortune - and sanity

Austrian millionaire gives away fortune - and sanity originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>karl habederKarlHabedermarc acitoMarcAcitothe upsideTheUpsideMarc AcitoTue, 23 Feb 2010 08:30:00 ESTKeepin' It real in Reality TV schoolhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/19/keepin-it-real-in-reality-tv-school/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/19/keepin-it-real-in-reality-tv-school/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/19/keepin-it-real-in-reality-tv-school/#commentsFiled under: ,

Would you like to suffer sleep deprivation, live with unstable people and be publicly humiliated in front of millions on national television?

Me neither. But for those who do, now there's the The New York Reality TV School. No, it's not a weekly broadcast about a New York public school (though that's a good idea. And by good I mean depraved and horrible).

Continue reading Keepin' It real in Reality TV school

Keepin' It real in Reality TV school originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>billy garciaBillyGarciajorge benderskyJorgeBenderskylauren conradLaurenConradmarc acitoMarcAcitonew york reality tv schoolNewYorkRealityTvSchoolsurvivor cook islandsSurvivorCookIslandsthe upsideTheUpsideMarc AcitoFri, 19 Feb 2010 07:00:00 ESTWARNING: This article may make you quit your job, pack up your family and move to Fijihttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/16/warning-this-article-may-make-you-quit-your-job-pack-up-your-f/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/16/warning-this-article-may-make-you-quit-your-job-pack-up-your-f/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/16/warning-this-article-may-make-you-quit-your-job-pack-up-your-f/#commentsFiled under:

Be your own boss. Travel the world. Sip umbrella drinks on the beach. Sounds like a dream life, right?

For some savvy entrepreneurs like Colin Wright, it's simply another day at work. When the branding-focused designer realized all he needed for his business was a laptop, he decided to take his lap to Buenos Aires.

Continue reading WARNING: This article may make you quit your job, pack up your family and move to Fiji

WARNING: This article may make you quit your job, pack up your family and move to Fiji originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Chris GuillebeauChrisGuillebeauexile lifestyleExileLifestylelocation independentLocationIndependentmarc acitoMarcAcitothe upsideTheUpsideMarc AcitoTue, 16 Feb 2010 11:00:00 ESTSupreme Court helps corporations shop for influencehttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/04/supreme-court-helps-corporations-shop-for-influence/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/04/supreme-court-helps-corporations-shop-for-influence/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/04/supreme-court-helps-corporations-shop-for-influence/#commentsFiled under:

It's official - the words "Supreme Court Justice" are an oxymoron. Or just moron, period. Thanks to the Supremes' recent decision giving corporations free reign to purchase politicians, now we can look forward to product placement in the Oval Office, logos emblazoned on the walls of Congress and endorsement deals for Samuel Alito. ("I take Viagra so I can screw America!")

Or, worse, we won't see any of it. Our political leaders will be de facto corporate employees beholden to enriching unseen shareholders of a shadow government. The United State, Inc., f/s/o the Fortune 500.

Continue reading Supreme Court helps corporations shop for influence

Supreme Court helps corporations shop for influence originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>confessions of an economic hit manConfessionsOfAnEconomicHitManhoodwinkedjohn perkinsJohnPerkinskim kardashianKimKardashianmarc acitoMarcAcitopaddy chayevskyPaddyChayevskysamuel alitoSamuelAlitothe upsideTheUpsideMarc AcitoThu, 04 Feb 2010 18:00:00 ESTThe Upside: Dealing with email overloadhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/01/18/the-upside-dealing-with-email-overload/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/01/18/the-upside-dealing-with-email-overload/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/01/18/the-upside-dealing-with-email-overload/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I've got issues. Email issues. You know how it is -- you obsessively check your inbox, hoping there's some life-changing opportunity not sent by a Nigerian, then get overwhelmed by the time-sucking correspondence of friends who seem to have WAY too much free time. And suddenly you're 200 emails behind. You meaning me.

So I recently channeled my obsessiveness into research and present it here for you, free of charge. That is, if you don't count the cost of your internet access.

THE BEST WAYS TO DEAL WITH EMAIL OVERLOAD:

Continue reading The Upside: Dealing with email overload

The Upside: Dealing with email overload originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 18 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>american idolAmericanIdolemail overloadEmailOverloadgetting things doneGettingThingsDonekara dioguardiKaraDioguardiMarc AcitoMarcAcitoThe UpsideTheUpsidevictoria beckhamVictoriaBeckhamyour brain at workYourBrainAtWorkMarc AcitoMon, 18 Jan 2010 08:00:00 ESTThe 5 best ways to increase productivityhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/01/04/the-5-best-ways-to-increase-productivity/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/01/04/the-5-best-ways-to-increase-productivity/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/01/04/the-5-best-ways-to-increase-productivity/#commentsFiled under: ,

As one of the nation's underemployed, naturally my new year's resolution is to get un-underemployed, perhaps even overemployed. But since this was also my resolution last year, I better go about it differently in 2010.

Luckily, I subscribe to an invaluable service called Help a Reporter Out, which connects journalists with sources. Normally I get 5-10 responses when I post a query, just enough to create an impression of a national zeitgeist. But when I asked other self-employed people for their best productivity tips, I was immediately deluged, eventually receiving a whopping 87 responses.

Continue reading The 5 best ways to increase productivity

The 5 best ways to increase productivity originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>brian tracyBrianTracyhelp a reporter outHelpAReporterOutjon stewartJonStewartmarc acitoMarcAcitomark twainMarkTwainthe upsideTheUpsideMarc AcitoMon, 04 Jan 2010 17:00:00 ESTGiving to charity declines in Scrooge's America, and that's not badhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/12/21/giving-to-charity-declines-in-scrooges-america-and-thats-not/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/12/21/giving-to-charity-declines-in-scrooges-america-and-thats-not/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/12/21/giving-to-charity-declines-in-scrooges-america-and-thats-not/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This just in from the Department of Why I am Not Suprised: Americans are giving less to charity this Christmas.

A recent poll from the Red Cross shows that 20 percent of Americans plan to reduce their charitable giving this year. Salvation Army centers and Toys for Tots drives across the country all report decreased giving of at least that much. Indeed, donations to the San Francisco Firefighters Toy Program are down a whopping 60 percent from last year, while demand is up almost 20 percent. "A lot of people who donated last year are now in lines to receive help," said Sally Casazza, the program's chair. "This is our worst year ever."

Continue reading Giving to charity declines in Scrooge's America, and that's not bad

Giving to charity declines in Scrooge's America, and that's not bad originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>A ChristAChristCostumeSuperCenter.commarc acitoMarcAcitoRed CrossRedCrossSalvation ArmySalvationArmySan Francisco Firefighters Toy ProgramSanFranciscoFirefightersToyProgramscroogeToys for TotsToysForTotsMarc AcitoMon, 21 Dec 2009 12:00:00 ESTAyn Rand -- back from the dead and still dead wronghttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/12/07/ayn-rand-back-from-the-dead-and-still-dead-wrong/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/12/07/ayn-rand-back-from-the-dead-and-still-dead-wrong/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/12/07/ayn-rand-back-from-the-dead-and-still-dead-wrong/#commentsFiled under: , ,

"She's back!" screams the cover of Reason, the magazine "For Free Minds and Free Markets," featuring a photo of right-wing icon Ayn Rand looking suspiciously like the Bride of Frankenstein. (Seriously. Did you ever see the two of them together? I didn't think so.)


Like Frankenstein's monster, Rand's ideas are back from the dead and have attracted the attention of torch-bearing angry villagers like the teabaggers. Sales of her cinder-block-sized manifesto, Atlas Shrugged, are reportedly at their strongest ever (more on that later) and this Christmas we have not one but two Rand biographies from which to choose. (Apparently nothing says "magical holiday" like "angry screed.") There are also lots of "Who Is John Galt?" T-shirts and even the Atlasphere, an Ayn Rand dating and networking site.

So I felt compelled to find out what the buzz was all about.

Continue reading Ayn Rand -- back from the dead and still dead wrong

Ayn Rand -- back from the dead and still dead wrong originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>alan greenspanAlanGreenspanatlas shruggedAtlasShruggedayn randayn rand instituteAynRandAynRandInstituteellis weinerEllisWeinerjack kerouacJackKerouacjohn galtJohnGaltkathy griffinKathyGriffinsarah palinSarahPalinMarc AcitoMon, 07 Dec 2009 15:00:00 ESTScam busters turn the tables on those running the Nigerian scamhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/23/scam-busters-turn-the-tables-on-those-running-the-nigerian-scam/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/23/scam-busters-turn-the-tables-on-those-running-the-nigerian-scam/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/23/scam-busters-turn-the-tables-on-those-running-the-nigerian-scam/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

AcitoBeloved One,

I have the Courage to Crave Indulgence for this most opportune business venture...

Look familiar? A day doesn't go by day that I don't receive an e-mail from people with names like Dr. Fortunate Goodpence or Mrs. Pius Motubo soliciting my aid in recovering millions from banks in Nigeria, if only I just sent a little money to get started. Which means I greet each morning with the same thought: who still falls for this crap?

Modern advance-fee scams, commonly called 419 scams after the number of the Nigerian Criminal Code, have been around for over twenty-five years, but exploded with the growth of the internet. So you'd think we'd all be wise to them, yet the latest statistics available show that worldwide losses to these kind of scams topped $4.3 billion in 2007 - and those were just the ones reported. Because, let's face it, losing money due to greed and a sense of colonial superiority to Africans is super embarrassing.

Continue reading Scam busters turn the tables on those running the Nigerian scam

Scam busters turn the tables on those running the Nigerian scam originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>419 scam419eater419Scamars technicaArsTechnicacitibanknigerianigeria scamNigeriaScamproject eagle clawProjectEagleClawMarc AcitoMon, 23 Nov 2009 14:00:00 ESTHow not to argue with your spouse about money - opera stylehttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/03/how-not-to-argue-with-your-spouse-about-money-opera-style/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/03/how-not-to-argue-with-your-spouse-about-money-opera-style/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/03/how-not-to-argue-with-your-spouse-about-money-opera-style/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


I recently learned how to avoid arguing about money with my spouse from an unlikely source: composer Phillip Glass. Not Glass himself - I'm hip, but I'm not that hip. No, I got marriage and money advice from Glass's setting of the classic Jean Cocteau film Orphée, which is having its West Coast premiere at Portland Opera this week. Starring me.

Okay, not starring me. But in this setting of the Greek myth, Orpheus travels through a mirror to the Underworld to rescue his wife, where he finds a glass maker who likes his job so much he can't stop working, even though he's dead. That's me. If you buy the CD that's being made, you'll hear me sing the words "glass maker" in French a whopping three times. But what the role lacks in actual length it makes up for in symbolic depth, so much so that Cocteau himself played it when he first wrote the piece as a play.

Continue reading How not to argue with your spouse about money - opera style

How not to argue with your spouse about money - opera style originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Jean CocteauJeanCocteauMarc AcitoMarcAcitoOrpheePhillip GlassPhillipGlassPortland OperaPortlandOperaPsychology TodayPsychologyTodaySteven SosnyStevenSosnyMarc AcitoTue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 ESTThe Upside: Habits of the rich and thinhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/20/the-habits-of-the-rich-and-thin/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/20/the-habits-of-the-rich-and-thin/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/20/the-habits-of-the-rich-and-thin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Since the recession began, we've all been tightening our belts, but only metaphorically. As our finances have grown leaner, Americans' bellies continue to grow larger. Therefore, the question of how to increase net worth while decreasing net girth has been on my mind for a while -- like about 20 years.

You see, I've been both rich and poor as well as fat and thin. Say what you want about the best things in life being free and money not being able to buy you happiness; in my experience, rich and thin were way better. What's more, for me physical and fiscal fitness seem to go together.

For instance, with the help of Jim Karas' The Business Plan for the Body I lost more than 60 pounds in a year by applying the skills I learned from running a successful small business. Since then, I've noticed that the challenges and benefits of following a diet mirror that of following a budget.

Continue reading The Upside: Habits of the rich and thin

The Upside: Habits of the rich and thin originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Daniel EngbarDanielEngbarGoal settingGoalSettingJean Chajean chatzkyJeanChaJeanChatzkyJim KarJimKarMarc AcitoMarcAcitoobesity epobesity epidemicObesityEpObesityEpidemicSlate.comThe Business Plan for the BodyThe DifferenceThe upsideTheBusinessPlanForTheBodyTheDifferenceTheUpsideMarc AcitoTue, 20 Oct 2009 19:00:00 ESTDollar store shopping: bargain or marketing ploy?http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/05/dollar-store-shopping-bargain-or-marketing-ploy/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/05/dollar-store-shopping-bargain-or-marketing-ploy/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/05/dollar-store-shopping-bargain-or-marketing-ploy/#commentsFiled under: , ,

According to a recent Nielsen survey, savvy recessionistas now shop at dollar stores. Wanting to be savvy, I journeyed to the nearest Dollar Tree, which makes me sound like a character in a fairy tale:

"And there, Marco the Scribe found a magnificent tree and it was blooming money..."

My initial impression was to be impressed at how much you could buy for a buck: a shower curtain, a dog dish, safety goggles, a soap dispenser. "How can these stores stay in business?" I thought.

Continue reading Dollar store shopping: bargain or marketing ploy?

Dollar store shopping: bargain or marketing ploy? originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>AlbertsonsDollar TreeDollarTreeLAs Totally Awesome Laundry DetergentLasTotallyAwesomeLaundryDetergentlays potato chipsLaysPotatoChipsMarc AcitoMarcAcitopace picante saucePacePicanteSaucePepperidge FarmsPepperidgeFarmsPiroulinesMarc AcitoMon, 05 Oct 2009 10:00:00 ESTThe Upside: Creative funding for the arts http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/22/the-upside-creative-funding-for-the-arts/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/22/the-upside-creative-funding-for-the-arts/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/22/the-upside-creative-funding-for-the-arts/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I know, I know: no one wants to hear artists complain about how hard it is to make a living. It's as if the freedom from being a cubicle-dweller has disqualified us from ever venting our frustrations with the constant hustle and the ongoing economic insecurity. Remember that know-it-all uncle who told you how hard it is to be an artist? He was right.

So I was especially interested to go to a lecture by artist A.L. Steiner at Portland's recent Time-Based Art Festival. Steiner is one of the co-founders of Working Artists and the Greater Economy, or W.A.G.E, "We demand payment for making the world more interesting," W.A.G.E. proclaims in its "womanifesto."

Continue reading The Upside: Creative funding for the arts

The Upside: Creative funding for the arts originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Kickstarter.comMarc AcitoMarcAcitoProject Paper TrailProjectPaperTrailTBA FestivalTbaFestivalW.A.G.E.Working Artists and the Greater EconomyWorkingArtistsAndTheGreaterEconomyMarc AcitoTue, 22 Sep 2009 12:00:00 ESTThe Upside: The recession and the future of marriagehttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/06/the-upside-the-recession-and-the-future-of-marriage/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/06/the-upside-the-recession-and-the-future-of-marriage/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/06/the-upside-the-recession-and-the-future-of-marriage/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

You hear a lot about the toll the economy is taking on marriages. Both Oprah and Money Magazine are trying to recession-proof your marriage, while the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers reports that divorce filings are down by 40%, a phenomenon the NY Daily News calls "sleeping with the enemy."

I can relate. When my and my partner's real estate investments plummeted, we coped by not talking about it -- or to each other. It wasn't long before we were living like Ernie and Bert. Forget the wing-nuts who claim that gay marriage is causing the recession. The recession nearly caused my gay divorce.

Continue reading The Upside: The recession and the future of marriage

The Upside: The recession and the future of marriage originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Michael ChabonMoney MagazinemyworkbutterlyRecession and MarriageRecessionAndMarriageRelationshipsSoccer UniverseSoccerUniverseMarc AcitoSun, 06 Sep 2009 08:01:00 ESTThe Upside: Hard times -- the sex industry and the recessionhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/18/the-upside-hard-times-the-sex-industry-and-the-recession/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/18/the-upside-hard-times-the-sex-industry-and-the-recession/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/18/the-upside-hard-times-the-sex-industry-and-the-recession/#commentsFiled under: ,

You know the old saying: "As porn goes, so goes the nation." Okay, I made it up, but it's true. Our nation's latest economic bellwether is the sex industry.

You see, once I learned that the global recession had put Czech hookers out of work, I began to wonder whether our home-grown American hookers have also given new meaning to the phrase "massive layoffs."

Continue reading The Upside: Hard times -- the sex industry and the recession

The Upside: Hard times -- the sex industry and the recession originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Amazonescort serviceEscortServiceGood VibrationsGoodVibrationsHustler ClubiPhonePink VisualRed Light CenterScoresSecond LifeMarc AcitoTue, 18 Aug 2009 14:00:00 ESTThe Upside: The power of freehttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/04/the-upside-the-power-of-free/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/04/the-upside-the-power-of-free/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/04/the-upside-the-power-of-free/#commentsFiled under:

Just because I haven't read a book doesn't stop me from debating it at cocktail parties. I mean, why let something like a lack of information get in the way of forming a strongly held opinion?

So what's currently on my mind is "Free: The Future of a Radical Price" by Chris Anderson, editor of Wired magazine and author of "The Long Tail," another book I didn't read but often debate.

Continue reading The Upside: The power of free

The Upside: The power of free originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>chris andersonChrisAndersonmalcolm gladwellMalcolmGladwellmarc acitoMarcAcitothe new yorkerthe power of freeTheNewYorkerThePowerOfFreewall street journalWallStreetJournalwired magazineWiredMagazineMarc AcitoTue, 04 Aug 2009 09:00:00 ESTThe Upside: Rumble in the Jungle -- Margarine, Orangutans, and Youhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/21/the-upside-rumble-in-the-jungle-margarine-orangutans-and-yo/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/21/the-upside-rumble-in-the-jungle-margarine-orangutans-and-yo/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/21/the-upside-rumble-in-the-jungle-margarine-orangutans-and-yo/#commentsFiled under: ,

"Welcome to Jakarta," the sign read. And: "Death Penalty for Drug Traffickers!"

"All that exclamation point needs is a happy emoticon," said my traveling companion, novelist Eve Yohalem.

"Or one of those ADA icons with someone hanging from a noose," I added.

Continue reading The Upside: Rumble in the Jungle -- Margarine, Orangutans, and You

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